Broome Hut nears completion

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The Broome Hut is nearing completion, and with all of the materials needed to complete the project on site, Grand Huts Association plans to start taking reservations for this winter sometime in November.

Monday night, Oct. 9, was the first night the volunteers fired up one of the two pellet stoves in the hut, which is located in Second Creek Basin on the west side of Berthoud Pass, a sign that they are finishing up the utilities inside the hut.

There are still opportunities for volunteers to donate time to get a free night or two at the hut after it is completed. Volunteers can get one free night per eight volunteer hours.

"It has been unbelievable the amount of volunteer help we have gotten with this," said Andy Miller, the project manager for the Broome Hut. "This never could have happened without the thousands of volunteer hours we have received."

Other opportunities to support this project are through monetary donations or by contributing to fundraisers for the hut.

Raising funds

Fundraisers that are currently taking place are: The Pixel Project fundraiser, where you can donate $20 to buy pixels which reveal the hut's architectural rendering; tribute brick fundraiser, where you can purchase a permanent piece of the project with your custom inscription as an indication of your contribution that will be displayed in the Great Room of the hut; and the Flamingo Flocking fundraiser, where you can send a flock of flamingos to friend's or family's yards for $25.

Flamingo flocks can be forwarded or you can buy pre- or post-flocking insurance to ensure your yard doesn't get flocked. Flocking is done in good spirit and is not meant to be malicious.

With $325,000 of the $385,000 goal for the hut already being raised and the near completion of the hut, Grand Huts Association is in their last push to finish funding and building the structure.

History

The Broome Hut, named for the Broome family who was one of the main donors of the project, replaces the old Second Creek Cabin. The old cabin was considered structurally unsound.

Grand Huts Association's goal is to build a system of eco-friendly huts in Grand County that will preserve the surrounding environment as well as sustain activities in the backcountry.

The proposed hut system will go from the Broome Hut on Berthoud Pass, all of the way to Grand Lake with a proposed nine-hut system.

Three huts already exist along the route including: First Creek Hut, High Lonesome Hut, and the Twin Creek Hut.

One of the more interesting facts about the Broome Hut, besides its stand-alone sustainability, is the fact that over 600 square feet of the hut's wood surfaces are made completely from beetle killed lumber harvested from Grand County.

Some of the wood was even taken from Miller's private property.

Looking ahead

The Grand Huts Association has some big plans for the future that include huts in the Devil's Thumb area as well as possible huts along the East Shore Trail, which follows the east shore of the three lake system in Grand Lake.

Once the Broome Hut is completed Grand Huts Association will begin making plans for future huts.

For more information, to donate, volunteer, or to participate in fundraisers check out Grand Huts Associations website at grandhuts.org.